Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 26, 2025
The good Mussulmans fancied that they heard the sullen hum of those nocturnal insects which presage evil, and importuned Vathek to beware how he ventured his sacred person.
Nouronihar, enraptured with the scenery of a place which brought back to her remembrance the pleasing solitudes where her infancy had passed, entreated Vathek to stop; but he, suspecting that each oratory might be deemed by the Giaour a distinct habitation, commanded his pioneers to level them all; the Santons stood motionless with horror at the barbarous mandate, and at last broke out into lamentations; but these were uttered with so ill a grace, that Vathek bade his eunuchs to kick them from his presence.
“What!” exclaimed Nouronihar; “will the time come when I shall snatch my hand from thine!” “Ah!” said Vathek; “and shall my eyes ever cease to drink from thine long draughts of enjoyment! Shall the moments of our reciprocal ecstasies be reflected on with horror?
“No, Emir,” replied Vathek; “I raise her to an equality with myself; I declare her my wife, and the glory of your race shall extend from one generation to another.” “Alas! my lord,” said Fakreddin, as he plucked off the honours of his beard, “cut short the days of your faithful servant, rather than force him to depart from his word.
Consoled, therefore, with this reflection, he went in good spirits to soothe the populace, and make the proper arrangements for his master’s journey. Vathek, to conciliate the Spirits of the subterranean palace, resolved that his expedition should be uncommonly splendid.
They clambered up the sides of the Caliph’s seat, and, placing themselves each on one of his shoulders, began to whisper prayers in his ears; their tongues quivered like the leaves of a poplar, and the patience of Vathek was almost exhausted, when the acclamations of the troops announced the approach of Fakreddin, who was come with a hundred old grey-beards and as many Korans and dromedaries; they instantly set about their ablutions, and began to repeat the Bismillah; Vathek, to get rid of these officious monitors, followed their example, for his hands were burning.
The old men, overpowered with amazement, were unable to lift their heards from the ground; for, as Vathek had carelessly left the tapestry between them half drawn, they were witnesses to the whole transaction; their tears gushed forth on the marble; Al Mouhadethin swooned through mortification and fatigue; whilst the Caliph, throwing himself backward on his seat, shouted and clapped his hands without mercy.
At last, exhausted with fatigue, he fell as if dead into the arms of a good old Genius, whose fondness for the company of children had made it his sole occupation to protect them, and who, whilst performing his wonted rounds through the air, happening on the cruel Giaour at the instant of his growling in the horrible chasm, rescued the fifty little victims which the impiety of Vathek had devoted to his maw; these the Genius brought up in nests still higher than the clouds, and himself fixed his abode in a nest more capacious than the rest, from which he had expelled the possessors that had built it.
“Fancy not,” said Vathek, “that you can detain me; your presents I condescend to accept, but beg you will let me be quiet, for I am not over-fond of resisting temptation; retire, then; yet, as it is not decent for personages so reverend to return on foot, and as you have not the appearance of expert riders, my eunuchs shall tie you on your asses, with the precaution that your backs be not turned towards me, for they understand etiquette.”
The chief of the eunuchs, trembling with fear, besought Vathek that a fire might be kindled. “No!” replied he, “there is no time left to think of such trifles; abide where thou art, and expect my commands.”
Word Of The Day
Others Looking